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Session on changes in adolescences ages at Govt. Sr. Sec. School in Mansarovar, Jaipur, Rajasthan – October, 2019

Changes of Adolescences Ages (after age 15)

The teenage years bring many changes, not only physically, but also mentally and socially. During these years, adolescents increase their ability to think abstractly and eventually make plans and set long-term goals. Each child may progress at a different rate and may have a different view of the world. In general, the following are some of the abilities that may be evident in your adolescent:

Develops the ability to think abstractly
Is concerned with philosophy, politics, and social issues
Thinks long-term
Sets goals
Compares one's self to one's peers
Conflict with parents

As your adolescent begins to struggle for independence and control, many changes may happen. The following are some of the issues that may be involved with your adolescent during these years:

Wants independence from parents
Peer influence and acceptance becomes very important
Romantic and sexual relationships become important
May be in love
Has a long-term commitment to relationship

Pre-session assessment

The pre-session assessment involved 40 children in 11th grade, and the following topics were discussed with them.

Individual Responses:

Describe yourself in 5 lines: Most of the students wrote their names and qualities like being good at cooking, playing cricket, being a good friend, keeping the environment clean, being a good speaker, a good dancer, a good student, a good reader, a good child to their parents, not thinking anything wrong about others, etc.
Write two significant changes in their life from the last 5 years: Most of the students wrote about physical, emotional, and behavioral changes such as height growth, becoming more beautiful, becoming stronger, parents not helping them, experiencing hair growth and maturity, feeling love, anger issues, pursuing their interests, understanding family situations, starting to smoke, etc.
Now I’m conscious about my appearance: Most of the students said that they either do not care about their appearance and clothing or are very conscious about how they look and dress. For those who are very conscious, a negative comment about their appearance can upset them.
Now my friends understand me more than my parents: Most of the students feel that their friends understand them better than their family because their friends listen to them, while their family underestimates their choices.
Now I have more conflicts and arguments with my parents: Some students replied that they have conflicts with their parents if they don't understand their views and thoughts, while others do not engage in conflicts and do not try to understand their parents' thought processes.
I love to copy my friends' actions that seem cool and fashionable: Most students mentioned that they do not copy their friends, as they are content with who they are. However, some students tend to copy their friends' actions that they find cool.
Sometimes I'm unable to understand some physical changes that are happening to me: While most students said that they understand their changes and don't face any problems, some students admitted that they sometimes face difficulty in understanding the changes they're experiencing.
Now I feel that I'm an adult, and I need my own space and privacy: All students replied that they feel like adults now and require their space and privacy.
I love to spend most of my time chatting with my friends on social media:Most students said that they spend a lot of time on social media or video games, and some students do not use mobile phones or operate any social media accounts.
Sometimes I feel upset because of my friends and family: Most students replied that having conflicts with friends or family makes them upset for the whole day.

Activity conducted during the session

In this activity, 40 students participated and acted out different situations.

In the first situation, they demonstrated how their financial situation affects their choices and how their friends can influence them when they want a new cell phone.
In the second situation, they played a role in which a girl wanted to go to her friend's place at 7:00 PM but couldn't due to her grandfather's disapproval. Her mother tried to convince him, but as a woman, she felt she had no right to speak up in front of the head of the house.
In the third situation, the students played out a scenario in which a girl wanted to pursue a subject that her parents were against. With the help of her friends and teacher, they convinced the parents and ultimately gained permission for her to take humanities as a subject.
In the fourth situation, the students played out a scenario where a teacher discovered that some of her students had bad habits, such as consuming alcohol and smoking. The teacher warned them to quit these habits and informed their parents, who then threatened to teach them a lesson in a violent manner if they did not stop.

Post-session assessment

Where did these thoughts come from that they played out? - The students replied that these situations were based on their day-to-day experiences and what they had faced in real life.
Are these the only solutions to these situations, or are there other possible solutions? - Another group of students suggested alternative solutions for each situation. For example, in the situation where the family doesn't allow the girl to go out after 7pm, she could ask her brother or father to drop her off, or have an open conversation with her family to understand their reasons for not allowing her to go out.
In situations where parents discover that their child has developed bad habits, they could have a conversation with their child and seek help from a rehabilitation center if necessary.

The facilitator shared some tips to cope up with these changes: